Firing apparatus for guns.



No. 804,899. PATENTED NOV. 21, 1905.

V. C. TASKER. FIRING APPARATUS FOR GUNS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 14.1905.

2 SHEETfl-SHEET 1.

PATBNTED NOV. 21, 1905.

V. G. TASKER.

FIRING APPARATUS FOR GUNS.

APPLICATION FILED EULY 14.1905.

wit/mm UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

VERNON C. TASKER, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, AS

SIGNOR TO UNITED STATES ORDNANCE COMPANY, OF WASHING- TON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, A CORPORATION OF VIRGINIA.

FIRING APPARATUS FOR GUNS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 21, 1965.

Application filed July 14, 1905. Serial No. 269,630.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, VERNON C. TASKER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Washington, in the District of Columbia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Firing Apparatus for Guns, of which the following is a specification.

My invention consists in improved means for firing guns from a fixed base on the gunmount. It is especially applicable to guns having long recoil and provided with firinglocks on the continuous-pull principle i. e. ,armed and fired by a continuous movement by the gunner.

It consists generally of, first, means for pressing rearwardly against the trigger of the firing-lock to fire the gun, said means being automatically returned to safety position after each shot independently of the gunner, and, second, automatic compensation for allowable differences of position of the gun in case of its failure more or less to return completely forward after recoil.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of the rear portion of a gun equipped with my invention; Fig. 2, a rear end elevation of the same; Fig. 3, a repetition of Fig. 1 somewhat enlarged and having the shoulder-guard B removed, except the bearings B, B and B which are shown in section; Fig. 4, a section on the line X X, Fig. 3, looking forwardly; Fig. 5, a section on the line Y Y, Fig. 3, looking forwardly; Fig. 6, a section on the lineZ Z, Fig. 3, looking rearwardly. Fig. 7 is a side elevation showinga different adaptation of the invention; Fig. 8, a plan view of the same; Fig. 9, a rear elevation of the same; Fig. 10, a section on the line U U, Fig. 7

Figs. 1 to 6,inclusive,illustrate the invention as applied to a gun of the screw-breech type. A is the gun, B a shoulder-guard for the gunner, (removed in Fig. 2 for greater clearness,) and C is the trigger or lanyard-arm.

The invention as shown in Figs. 1 to 6 is mounted upon the shoulder-guard (which is secured to a non-recoiling part of the mount) and consists of the tube D, freely sliding in the bearings B B a stop A on the gun for said tube, a firing-rod E with return-spring F carried by the tube D, and a firing-lever G with pawl H, also carried by the tube, the

lever being pivoted at J to a bracket K, secured to the latter.

The operation is as follows: Upon pulling rearwardly on the handle of the firing-lever Or the apparatus moves bodily to the rear until the tube D encounters the stop A on the gun. This brings the rear end of the firingrod E into correct relation with the trigger C. The lever G then swings about its pivot J, its pawl H acting on the head E of the firing-rod and moving the latter rearwardly against the trigger, thus firing the gun. Further movement of the lever causes the pawl to swing out of engagement with the firingrod, (its rotation about its pivot H being limited,) and the spring F immediately moves the rod forward to such position that the gun cannot again be fired except by deliberate intent. Upon being released the lever G is returned to position by its spring L. A shoulder H on the pawl encounters the bracket K, causing the pawl to swing in front of the head E of the firing-rod. The counterweight H also tends to keep the pawl in engagement. Guide-wings D on the tube prevent its rotation and terminating rearwardly at D serve as stops against B in case the gun should be too far out of battery to be fired with safety.

It will be seen that a simple rearward pull on the handle G performs automatically in succession the three functions of adjusting the apparatus to position of gun, firing the gun, and returning the firing-rod to normal or safety position.

In cases where the automatic return feature is not deemed essential it may be omitted and the design thereby simplified. Such an adaptation is shown in Figs. 7, 8, 9, and 10. The gun A is of the wedge-block type and recoils upon the slide S. The bracket B is secured to the latter and has bearings B B for the sliding tube D, as before. The forward corner A of the breech-housing serves as the stop for the tube.

The guide-wing D on the tube limits its movement rearwardly and is slotted at D to admit a flat projection G on the firing-handle. This projection has a rearward extension Gr fitting a conical recess in the head E of the firing-rod. The spring F tends to maintain this engagement at all times.

' Other adaptations of the invention in whole or in part are possible with; the exercise of proper mechanical skill.

I claim 1. The combination With a gun and a'recoilmount; of firing mechanism slidable on the mount and a stop on the gun, whereby such mechanism is brought into correct relation I with the gun in the act of firing.

2. The combination with a gun and a recoilmount; of firing mechanism having freedom of movement rearwardly on the mount, operating meanstending to produce such movement, and a stop on the gun for limiting said movement to the error in position of the gun after counter-recoil. I

3. The combination with a gun and a recoilmount; of firing mechanism slidable on the mount and means whereby such mechanism is brought into correct relation With the gun in the act of firing.

4. The combination With a gun and a recoilmount; of firing mechanism having freedom of movement rearwardly on the mount, operatlng'means tending to produce such movement and means for limiting said movement to mount; of firing mechanism movable 0n the 'mount comprising members adapted to move a in unison with and independent of each other;

port and means controlled by the position, of,

the gun after counter-recoil for limiting the united movement of the rod and support;

7 The combination with a gun and a recoil- 'mount; of firing mechanism slidable on the mount, means whereby such mechanism is brought into correct relation with the gun in the act of firing, a lever for actuating said firing mechanism and means operated by continued movement of said leverrfor releasing said firing mechanism from they influence of said lever.

In testimony whereof I aifix my signature in presence of two Witnesses. I I I VERNON O. TA'SKER'.

Witnesses:

C. S. LEEoH, A. Y. LEECH, Jr. 

